Densho Digital Archive - Jiro Sugidono Interview (denshovh-sjiro-01-0020)

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TI: Well, and then eventually the military came through asking for volunteers to join.

JS: (Yes).

TI: So what did you do when they did that?

JS: It was 1943, and I don't know, I don't think too many people know about what I did. 'Cause we were 220, and when they asked for volunteers, I didn't hesitate, I just signed up, and this other guy who signed up was... (Henry) Izumizaki, your friend knew her, he was talking to you about her, he knew the Izumizakis, his nephew met...

TI: Yeah, I can't remember. That's okay.

JS: But anyway... Henry. (Yes), Henry, that's right. Henry and I were the only one from Block 220. At that time, I don't know, maybe you're too young, but there was a movie actor, Lee Tracy, from Hollywood, he was kind of... what do you call those person that helped the USO, like. And they had a party for all the guys who volunteered, (...) I came with my father. You know, funny thing, to think about it now, my father didn't question me or anything, (...) he went with me. He didn't say no pro or con about it. 'Cause usually, like Shigeno's father, he was really against it.

TI: And so were there some men who volunteered who weren't there with their father because their father didn't come?

JS: What's that?

TI: Were there some men who volunteered at this party, were there some men whose fathers did not come?

JS: That I don't know, but most of the, persons that volunteered, I think they did come. I mean, I think, I don't know how to say it, but maybe I was fortunate I didn't go because soon as Henry went over there, before we know it, he was a casualty. And I think... he had his older brother Jim, and it was Henry, then Arthur, there was (...) three brothers in the 442nd. But then they're all passed away. I mean, the other ones passed away after the war.

TI: Okay, so 1943, they asked for volunteers, you volunteered, went to this party with your father, but then the physical, what happened?

JS: Oh, I got a letter from that head of the camp, he's American, I guess, and, "Mr. Sugidono, I'm sorry to say that your medical," because of my eye, my right eye, it wasn't good enough, that they rejected me. And so that was it. They had, then it came to 1944... meanwhile, we went out to work in Nebraska. We, from our camp, there was lot of people who went. After we were working in sugar beets, and funny thing, one time, when we're ready to go home, there was a, two or three guys that were our group had appendicitis, so heck, I had to stay back with 'em until they get well. And then when we came back, that was around August, I guess, I got a letter from, from the government. [Laughs]

TI: So were you surprised that, because you failed the physical already, were you kind of surprised they drafted you?

JS: No, 'cause at that time, they were desperate, they needed replacements for 442nd. And as long as you got two hand, two leg, two eyes, they'd take you, see. At that time, when you volunteered, they wanted you to be okay.

TI: Now at this point, had you heard about what the 442 was doing? I mean, was the stories coming to you and others?

JS: Well, actually, I really didn't, 'cause we didn't get too much information. Oh, (yes), you might hear, once in a while, about some casualty and things like that, but so I didn't hear, like the Anzio, all those things, I didn't know until later. 'Cause, but then, when we got drafted, there was quite a bit from our camp, I mean, from our block. In fact, my brother was drafted same time, Ichiro. But I don't know, being a brother, I guess he was sent separate place. He went to Camp Blanding, Florida, and I went to Camp Shelby, Mississippi.